An Interpretation Of The Contemporary British Jewish Community In The Elected Member From The Perspective Of Diaspora

The contemporary Anglo-Jewish female writer Bernice Rubens is famous for her accurate description of the living conditions of the Jewish diaspora in England,and her masterpiece The Elected Member won the Booker Prize in 1970.Up to now,scholars at home and abroad have mainly focused on the novel’s religious factors,family motifs,and psychological writing skills.This thesis is not only a continuation of the previous research of Bernice Rubens but also an innovation in the content of the discussion,that is,to explore the operating mechanism of the contemporary British Jewish community in The Elected Member from the perspective of diaspora.This thesis contains five parts: an introduction,three main chapters,and a conclusion.In the introduction,Bernice Rubens’ life and the writing of The Elected Member are briefly summarized.Then the research status of the novel at home and abroad is over-viewed.In addition,the theoretical basis that encompasses diaspora identity theory and community theory is combed.Based on these,this paper’s central argument and research significance are put forward.The first chapter discusses the older generation’s adherence to the traditional Jewish identity and the construction of the Jewish community.Specifically,the relationship between the two is interpreted and analyzed from three dimensions: the geographic community as a cultural enclave,the community of blood transmitting the sense of rootedness,and the spiritual community carrying the imagination of homeland.However,the future development of the conservative Jewish community in multicultural England implies a crisis.The second chapter discussed the younger generation’s pursuit of a single English identity and the rupture of the Jewish community.The geographic community faces a disintegration crisis due to its members’ departure.The community of blood is destroyed when members abandon kinship in the excessive pursuit of individual freedom.The spiritual community becomes degenerated owing to the absence of a sense of community among members.The third chapter discusses the hybrid identities of the community members and the reconstruction of the Jewish community.Specifically,it is discussed from three aspects: the geographic community is revitalized by the return of members who had successfully constructed a dual Jewish and English identity.The community of blood is recovered under mutual care among family members.And the spiritual community is reestablished with undifferentiated love.The conclusion summarizes the main idea and significant arguments of this thesis.This thesis argues that the construction of hybrid identities of community members in diaspora is beneficial to the long-term development of the contemporary Anglo-Jewish community.This dynamic process provides an effective identity construction strategy for current diaspora groups in the context of globalization.